Well, in a little over 3 hours, my Air Force association will terminate

[JCinPA]

I'm a little melancholy.

I served for ten years on active duty (wish I had stayed, actually), but after the Berlin Wall came down, the handwriting was on the wall. The Peace Dividend. It was going to be a lot less fun as the shrinkage commenced, so I got out with an early retirement deal. I had been stationed in upstate New York, the Philippines, Okinawa and Germany, and had worked in Japan, Korea, Greece, Turkey, Italy, England, Iceland, Norway ... it was a fun ride while it lasted.

So on September 29, 1992, I resigned my regular commission and was sworn in (again) for a Reserve Commission, and have been in the Air Force Reserve (inactive) for 20 years. At midnight I'm just a civilian again. Not retired, just out. No connection. I'm a little bummed.

So ... here are the rides I've had.

Back seat rides, all of them, of course, I was not a pilot.

Two in these

One in this

about a half dozen in this ..

And one in this

This is me (no, I'm not kidding, camera between my knees)

Me looking forward, right

And up left at our wingman

Finished my career in one of these

Here was my 'desk'

And here's where I got my start as a butter bar in Upstate New York

My in my flight suit by one of the Aggressor F5's in the PI. About 1988.

And one of the "Aggressor" aircraft I controlled in the PI as an air weapons controller in the 26th Aggressor Squadron.

Tonight marks the end of an era in my life. Even though I have not done any Air Force work in 20 years, carrying the card and being recallable was the thinnest of threads keeping me connected. After tonight, that thread is snipped.


I'm gonna drink a lot of scotch tonght.

 

[smalltank]

God Bless You and your family..thank you for your service!...

 

[lowjax]

Thank you for your service. Sometimes it's hard to give everything up. I had 6 years in the Army Reserves and often wish I would have stayed in. One of my brothers did 4 years in the Marines and my other brother is an Air Traffic Controller in the Air Force up in Camp Douglas. He's got over 10 years in and is planning to retire in the AF. Thanks again for your service.

 

[The Nid Hog]

I completely understand that melancholy feeling. But no connection? I think you'll wake up tomorrow morning and that connection will be just as strong. Some things just don't wash out or fade away.

 

[JCinPA]

I guess. No 'official' connection. Thanks, Nid Hog, that helped!

 

[Captain Pre-Capsize]

Hey John, I have told you once at lunch and I'll tell you again -

THANKS for your service!

And I'll see you in a few weeks on the Nort Side.

 

[DEGuy]

Thank you for your service. You put your time in and deserve to crack a bottle in remembrance. If I remember correctly, we used to get a bottle of Crown Royal, take off the ribbon off, and wear it usually tied to a watch band--it was a 'short-timer's' ribbon. I don't know if officers did this, be we enlisted guys did.

Spent my USAF Security Service (now AIA) enlistment in Biloxi (school), San Angelo (school), 6931 Scty Gp, Iraklion Air Station (Crete), and 6987 Scty Gp, Shu Lin Kou Air Station (Atop Taipei Mountain--Taiwan). These overseas sites are defunct--but the memories live on, as I'm sure they will with you.

I wish a great future to you, brother. Again, you've put in your time.

 

[JCinPA]

Hey, I'm just an old guy reliving some memories, I didn't start this to get a bunch of thanks for servings! I loved every minute of it (as you can tell from the fighter back seat rides I scammed! ). It was all an honor and a pleasure, best memories of my adult working life!

I spent 3 months at a radar tech school in Biloxi, small world, eh?

Scotch makes one have to backspace and correct a LTO. My fingers are not working to well. This took like 5 minutes.

 

[Viseguy]

Treasure the memories. (A nip of Scotch will make them more vivid. ) Great pics!

 

[Intrigued]

Hey, I'm just an old guy reliving some memories, I didn't start this to get a bunch of thanks for servings! I loved every minute of it (as you can tell from the fighter back seat rides I scammed! ). It was all an honor and a pleasure, best memories of my adult working life!

I spent 3 months at a radar tech school in Biloxi, small world, eh?

Scotch makes one have to backspace and correct a LTO. My fingers are not working to well. This took like 5 minutes.

All right then, I'll just say, "Cheers!"

 

[JCinPA]

Why thank you, Connie!

I think this is just about a date. Printed on an ID card. That's all. I still have the memories, I still have a wonderful life, it's just another signpost on the road to getting older.

I'm getting conscious of that turning around you do as you get older, from looking forward with anticipation to stooping to hug your kids, play with them, live in the here and now. Then turning to look back, at the past. The kids get older, start spreading their wings. You remember when they were younger, when you were younger.

Wow! I think I should stop the scotch!

Life is good. Always was, probably always will be. It's a decision. a choice you make.

I'm a little buzzed.

 

[JCinPA]

I'm really buzzed. Ima have one more scotch, then turn in for the night. But not before ....

 

[JoshuaNY]

A little late to the thread here, but cheers, friend. Thank you for sharing.

 

[Lion and the Fox]

Thank you for your service and just think of it as starting new chapter in your life! Good luck!

 

[jkingrph]

Sounds similar to my time in. Ten years active, Dec 68 to Jan 79. Enlisted, then straight to OTS. Trained as weapons controller, assigned to early AWACS, to fly in EC 121, the old Lockheed Super Connie's converted to the airborn radar platform. I had allergies so bad they quickly grounded me so about about 8 months in limbo then transfered out of the line to the Biomedical Science Corps as a Pharmacy Officer since I had my degree in pharmacy and was already licensed in two states.

Had some back seat rides in the T-33 seeing how intercepts were performed. My hat's off to those pilots seeing an onecoming aircraft at over 500mph closing speed, they were almost impossible for me to see, but no real training or practice in doing that. Other "back seat"rides were in C 141 and C 130. Most exciting was probably the C 141. My neighbor was a pilot and I went along on a standardization ride, Empty that thing can manuver, the most exciting part was when the instructor had him make a no flaps landing at the end of the flight. It took all the pavement at Robins AFB and tires were squealing at the final turn off.

Served active in Fla, Ga, Turkey and back to FLa. Got out in Jan 79. Promotions had dried up during the post Vietnam draw down. I stayed inactive reserve for 10 years and went active reserve in Sept of 90, just in time to get back up to speed which took about two UTA for chem warefare training which I had never had while active, and called up for Desert Storm. Almost 3 months at a contigency hospital in the UK, nearly froze over there, then back home for a few years of reserve fun.

I was forced out because I could not make full COl before I reached the 27 year mark. I had now known that they kept me in an inactive status for that ten years where I was subject to recall and still getting credit for longivityh years but not for retirement, so I finished as an 0-4 with 27 years of service.


When I went back to active reserve and my promotion to 0-4 came through I found the promotion date had been back dated, and I got a check for some back pay. I looked at it and did some calculatons and figured the amount was about half of what it should have been, so went to finance and talked it over and quickly got the remainder.

I finished as an 0-4 (Major) with 27 years, only 17 of which counted toward retirement, so I am what they call "honorairly retired" no benefits or priviledges, but it was fun at times.

 

[Matt555]

Wow, wow, wow. That looks like one hell of a career. I am sure you have stories to tell the rest of your life considering all of the countries you served (and all the cool jets you flew in).

 

[Wcoppage]

Best wishes. I was a Crew Chief on a KC-135. I was only in for 4 1/2 years, but I do understand the melancholy. I got out a few days after 9/11 and was actually the first flight from overseas. I was stationed at Okinawa at the time. I felt that I needed to stay, but at the same time, I had begun making my educational plans for my future. It was a tough transition to civilian life for me due to the high standards and discipline instilled during my service.

Take it one day at a time. Relax, and like many have said, enjoy telling your stories. Be well.

 

[mdove47]

You can take the man out of the military...but you can never take the military out of the man. Thank you for your service.

 

[Topgumby]

Congrats. We fade out and die but the service goes on, because of what we did. You've made your mark on the wall.

 

[Goober]

HEY John, knock off that "no connection" talk. Maybe not to HQ Air Force, but there is still the connection of a lot of us out here that have "veteran" or active duty tags. I'm getting close to where you are, so I'll be feeling the pain as well. Hang in there, Brother. There are still a lot of us out here.